Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-07
THE DYING SHEPHERD.
A Glance at the Life and Works of Henry
Ward Beecher.

| ward Beecher.
BROOKLYN, March 6.-Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher was born at Litchfield
Conn, June "a, 1913. He graduated al
Amherst College in 1884, and studied
theology at Lake Seminary. In 1887 be
became pastor Ofa Presbyterian church at
Lawrenceburg, and in 1889, at IDdianapO-
lis, Ind. In 1917 he received q call
from the Plymouth church, a new
COngregationalist church in Brook
lyn, n. Y. Here almost from the
tiOn rs a pulpit orator which has been
maintained aud increased during quarter
ola century. The church and congrega-
tion under his charge are probably the
| largest in America. He has always dis
carded the mere conventiOnalities of the
clerical profession. In his view humor has
place in his sermon as well as argument
and eXhortatiOn. Heis fond of illustra-
tiOn, drawing his material from every
sphere of human life and thought, and his
manner is highly dramatic. Though his
keen sense of humOr continually manifests
itself, the prevailing impression given by his
diScources is one Of intense earnestness. The
Cardinal idea of his creed is that Christian.
ity is not a series Of philosophical or met
aphysical dOgmas, but rule of life in
every phase. Hence he has never hesi-
tated to discuss from the pulpit the great
social and political questions of the day,
such as slavery, intemperance, icentiOus-
hess, the lust for power and the greed for
gain. He is an enthusiast in music,
cOnnOiSseur in art, lover of flowers and
animals. Apart from his purely profess
siOnal labors, he is a popular lecturer in
lyceums and orator at public meetings
Before beginning to preach he edited for
a year 1856 newspaper, the Cincinnati
Journal, and while pastor at Indianapolis
an agricultural journal, his contributions
TO which we're afterward published under
the title, Fruits, Flowers, and Farming"
For nearly 20 years he was an editorial
journal published in New York, and from
lS0l to 1853 its editor; his contributions to
this were signed with r, and many of
them were collected and published
us The Star Papers" Since 1870
he had been editor OF the Christian Union,
a weekly newspaper published in New
York. His sermons and writings have had
a wide circulation in newspapers, period
icals and in book form. Besides the well
known volumes Of his sermons he has pub-
lished: Lectures to Young Men" 'In-
duStry and IdeneSS,' Life Thoughts;''
two series edited by Edna Dean Proctor
and Augusta Moore; Sermons on Liberty
and War;" ''The Plymouth Collections
OF Hymns and Tuues;" Norwood"
novel, and originally published in the
New York Leigey, to which he was con
slant contributor; Sermons from Pub
of Christ" " and Yale Lectures on Preach
ing" In 1868 he visited Great Britain,
with a special view TO diSabuse the public
in regard to the ISSUES of our civil war
His speeches exerted wide influence i'm
changing public sentiment, which had
been strongly in favor of the Southern Con-
iederacy. They were published in Lon
don, but have not been reprinted in
America.
Intense interest WAS shown when, i'll
1919, he was tried for alternating the aflec-
tiOns ef the wife of Theodore TiltOn. The
jury were unable to agree on 4 verdict, the
majority inClining To aCquit him. Since
then his influence can hardly he said to
have suffered, and the fidelity of his con-
gregation is unshaken.
Although in receipt of an income proba-
bly, rs large rs that of theNlSTesident of the
United States, Mr.. BeeGscr is not a rich
man. His charity, which is always IN
clined to be on the quiet, is well known.
His main possessions consist of his valuable
library and an excellent farm at Peekskill,
Ny. His wife, a charming old lady, ex-
erts no small influence in her large circle
of admiring friends. His sons seem to
have inherited their fathers good quail
ties, hut have chosen mercantile life in
which to achieve their success.